Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

£2.1bn aerospace deal will safeguard hundreds of BAE Systems’ jobs

08/05/2016

Fylde MP Mark Menzies today welcomed the Typhoon maintenance contract which will maintain hundreds of jobs at BAE Systems’ Warton site for years to come. Minister for Defence Procurement, Philip Dunne MP, signed off on the landmark 10-year support arrangement for the RAF’s Typhoon jets.

US firm offers to shift F-16 production line to India

08/05/2016

The US firm said it wants to close down its original production in Fort Worth in Texas, which has produced more than 3,600 F-16s so far, and create a major industrial facility in India to continue with the production. Lockheed Martin, however, seeks a ‘significant’ order from the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a part of the package deal on the switch, company officials said here.

Air Force To Make A-10 Replacement Recommendations as Early As Fall

08/05/2016

The US Air Force is deliberating if and how to replace its close-air support workhorse, the A-10, and may have a better picture of their path forward later this year, the service’s top civilian said Wednesday. During an interview with Defense News, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said she and other top service leaders — such as Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein — will be briefed on various options for replacing or augmenting the A-10 Warthog this fall.

USAF pilots add electronic warfare mission capability to UAV training

08/05/2016

As the US Air Force faces both pilot shortages and increased demand for its unmanned air vehicle operations in contested environments, the service is offering operators new training to allow them to continue carrying out their missions while under electronic attack.

Egypt Claims Its Military Has Killed Leader of Daesh in Sinai

08/05/2016

The Egyptian military has reportedly killed Abu Duaa al-Ansari, the leader of the Sinai branch of the terrorist group Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State. The leader was killed in a series of airstrikes, according to the military's statement. A total of 46 members of the terrorist group were killed in the strikes.

Russia's State-of-the-art Tu-214R Spy Plane Successfully Passes Syria Test

08/05/2016

Russia’s Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft fitted with cutting-edge optical and electronic equipment and radar systems has successfully fulfilled all of its tasks in the Syrian sky, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.

India, Russia Sign $300Mln Deal on Upgrade of 10 Ka-28 Helicopters - Indian Navy

08/05/2016

According to navy spokesman, Indian Navy and Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed a deal worth nearly $300 million to modernize 10 Russia-produced Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopters.

Interviews Reveal Chaos at Incirlik on Night of Coup Attempt in Turkey

08/04/2016

Incirlik Air Base was a chaotic scene on the night of the attempted coup in Turkey. U.S. warplanes flying out of Incirlik were on missions over Syria and Iraq when power went out to the control tower that would guide them back. A Turkish aircraft had just taken off from Incirlik to refuel Turkish F-16s that would bomb the Turkish parliament as part of the coup.

Air Force reaches deal through Wright-Patterson to test Scorpion jet

08/04/2016

The Air Force has reached a one-of-a-kind deal with aerospace maker Textron AirLand to test the airworthiness of a jet that could be sold overseas. Textron AirLand will reimburse the Air Force for the costs of the tests on the Scorpion, a light weight, low-cost surveillance and strike jet, according to company data.

Chinese national arrested here trying to smuggle military parts to Iran

08/04/2016

A Chinese national was arrested Tuesday while trying to cross into Canada and was charged with illegally exporting military parts to Iran. Yaohong Gong, a resident of Florida, is accused of operating a company that took part in a scheme to obtain U.S.-made airplane parts intended for China and illegally diverting them to Iran.

GIBRALTAR CRISIS: Britain 'must send more Navy warships' amid Spanish invasion fears

08/04/2016

It has been claimed the UK must be prepared to defend the overseas territory after warnings Spain could "pounce on us" after the historic vote to leave the EU. The call comes after claims by Madrid that Brexit could lead to power sharing of the island, known as the "Rock".

Czech team trains air forces flying L-159 combat planes in Iraq

08/04/2016

A Czech air consulting team has been operating in Iraq since August 1 in order to continue with the training of the Iraqi air forces for the Czech-made L-159 combat aircraft, Defence Ministry spokesman Petr Medek told CTK yesterday. The 31-member Czech team includes pilots and technicians, but also logistics experts and military police. It will be deployed within the operation against the Islamic State (IS) organisation and stay in Iraq at least until the end of 2018.

Marines order 24-hour pause in flight operations for all non-deployed aircraft

08/04/2016

The head of Marine Aviation has ordered all non-deployed aircraft to stand down for 24 hours following three recent crashes of F/A-18s, two of which were fatal. Lt. Gen. Jon Davis told wing commanders on Wednesday that non-deployed squadrons must take "an operational pause" within the next seven business days, said Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns. The move is different than grounding aircraft, she said.

Combat-tested B-1B Lancers to replace B-52s in Pacific

08/04/2016

For the first time in 10 years, B-1B Lancer aircraft will replace the B-52 Stratofortress aircraft in support of U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence mission. This forward deployed presence demonstrates continuing U.S. commitment to stability and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

USAF Air Combat Command chief skeptical over new aircraft for permissive environments

08/04/2016

During a media briefing announcing initial operational capability for the F-35A, the USAF’s stealth aircraft designed to take on combat zones populated with surface-to-air-missiles, Carlisle expressed skepticism over the possible acquisition of a new light-attack aircraft that would operate in permissive environments.

Japan Orders Second Early Warning Aircraft From US – Northrop Grumman

08/04/2016

The deal was announced the same day Japan held an emergency meeting of its National Security Council to discuss North Korea test-fired a missile believed to have fallen in the Japanese exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan, the Kyodo news agency reported.

Russia's PAK FA Stealth Fighter Jet to Receive an 'All-Seeing Eye'

08/04/2016

Russia's top manufacturer of electronic warfare equipment, KRET, is in the process of upgrading its Okhotnik (Hunter) video image processing system so that it could be outfitted on the country's cutting edge fifth generation fighter jet, known as the Sukhoi PAK FA or the T-50, Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported.

Korean air force jets reportedly engaged a UFO in 1980, documentary reveals

08/03/2016

Two Korean Air Force combat jets engaged a UFO in 1980, according to a documentary program aired on JTBC on Sunday. The incident was reported to top commanding officers of the Korean Air Force at the time, but they decided not to investigate the matter as it was not within their area of expertise.

India to obtain four more P-8I Neptunes

08/03/2016

New Delhi has entered into a deal for an additional four Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. The deal will be conducted under the US government’s Foreign Military Sale (FMS) mechanism, and was originally cleared by India’s Defence Acquisition Council in July 2015, according to sources familiar with the matter.

USAF declares F-35A ready for limited combat

08/03/2016

Five years after the projected initial operational capability (IOC) date, the Air Force has declared the first 15 Lockheed Martin F-35As assigned to the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill AFB are capable of performing a basic set of combat missions.

Berlin to Step Up Security of German Soldiers at Turkey's Incirlik Base

08/03/2016

Berlin has decided to take additional measures for protection of German soldiers deployed at Incirlik military base in Turkey after the attempted coup, German media reported on Tuesday.

US Airstrikes Against Daesh in Libya to Last ‘Weeks, Not Months’ - Pentagon

08/03/2016

On Monday, the Pentagon said Libya’s internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) requested "precision airstrikes" to aid Libyan operations against the Daesh near the Mediterranean city of Sirte. The airstrikes are likely to last "weeks, not months," Davis said as quoted by The Military Times.

France, India Move in on Deal for Dozens of Rafale Fighter Jets

08/03/2016

India and France are now one step closer to making a deal on the procurement of 36 Rafale jet fighters, according to Indian Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar. According to Parrikar's written reply to parliament, both sides have agreed to sign an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), a vital step to finalizing the $9 billion deal for the three dozen French fighter jets.

Unintentional Consequences': Japan Warns of Chinese Aggression in Pacific

08/03/2016

Citing Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea, Japan’s annual defense review expresses “deep concern” over China’s refusal to accept to the nine-dash line territorial ruling.

US Air Force’s F-35A Conducts Successful 'Kill' Test Against Drone

08/03/2016

In the lead up to being declared combat ready, the US Air Force carried out a “kill” test with the fifth-generation fighter against a UAV. "With the F-35A, the Air Force now has a fighter combining next-generation radar-evading stealth, supersonic speed, fighter agility and advanced logistical support with the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in history," the defense giant said in a statement.